Supplier Quality Specialist - Propulsion (R6585)

Shield AI · Seattle, Washington · USD 106,000-159,000 per-year-salary · onsite Shield AI is actively seeking candidates with deep expertise in manufacturing and quality methodologies, paired with a relentless drive to enable supplier success and strengthen mission-critical operations. The Supplier Quality Specialist - Propulsion will be responsible for supplier qualification, development, performance management, and quality assurance across the Propulsion commodity supply base. This includes conducting supplier audits, nonconformance resolution, root-cause investigations, and hands-on hardware dispositions. Key responsibilities: Conduct supplier qualification, risk assessments, periodic performance reviews, supplier audits, source inspections, and approved-supplier status across the propulsion commodity supply base. Ensure supplier requirements are effectively flowed down and that suppliers comply with applicable quality management system, engineering, customer, contractual, regulatory, and statutory requirements. Escalate significant supplier-quality risks and direct SCARs, supplier recovery efforts, and capability-improvement plans that could affect product quality, delivery, mission readiness, or program execution. Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program teams to address supplier producibility, design-for-manufacturability, process capability, technical execution, and quality risks. Advance supplier-quality processes, business systems, data analytics, and continuous-improvement practices that strengthen supplier capability, product quality, delivery performance, and supply-base resilience. Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or another related technical discipline. At least 5 years of relevant experience. Strong working knowledge of AS9100 and/or ISO 9001 quality-management systems, as well as aerospace and defense supplier-quality requirements. Demonstrated proficiency in root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving methods, including 8D, 5 Whys, and fishbone analysis. Experience with supplier qualification, supplier development, PPAP, and First Article Inspection processes, including AS9102 requirements. Understanding of ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and other requirements applicable to aerospace and defense suppliers. Strong cross-functional collaboration, executive communication, and supplier relationship-management skills. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. Experience using ERP/MRP systems. Ability to travel to Shield AI manufacturing locations and supplier sites domestically and, as needed, internationally,up to approximately 20% of the time.